Wealthiest 1% Could Buy Up 99% of All U.S. Homes

<p>The combined value of nearly 100 million U&period;S&period; homes reached &dollar;49&period;7 trillion at the end of 2024&comma; while the combined net worth of America’s wealthiest 1&percnt; has grown to a record &dollar;49&period;2 trillion&period; In other words&comma; the wealthiest 1&percnt; can afford to buy nearly every home in America&period; That’s according to a new <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;redfin&period;com&sol;news&sol;wealthy-aggregate-value-2025" rel&equals;"nofollow" shape&equals;"rect">report<&sol;a> from online real estate brokerage Redfin&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Even though the two numbers are not directly related&comma; the growth trajectories of home values and the net worth of the top 1&percnt; have tracked similar paths over the past 20 years&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Redfin Economics Research Lead Chen Zhao said that even though their assets are more diversified&comma; the wealthiest 1&percnt; still own a disproportionate 13&period;4&percnt; share of real estate in the U&period;S&period; She said the rise in home values over the past decade has helped drive the similarly rapid growth of their net worth&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;This group is able to watch their real estate assets appreciate without facing mortgage interest payments&comma; as they mainly buy homes with cash&comma;” Zhao said&period; &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;It is a striking example of the concentration of wealth in America that the top 1&percnt; could hypothetically afford to buy every home in the country—without going into debt—while millions of households struggle to buy or hold onto just one&period; Asset growth&comma; including real estate&comma; has consistently outpaced wage growth in recent decades&comma; increasing the gap between the top and bottom wealth brackets&period;”<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><b>Real estate makes up 12&percnt; of the top 1&percnt;’s wealth<&sol;b><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Roughly 1&period;3 million U&period;S&period; households make up the wealthiest 1&percnt;&comma; defined by the Fed as having a minimum net worth of &dollar;11&period;2 million&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Real estate represents 12&period;3&percnt; &lpar;&dollar;6&period;1 trillion&rpar; of that net worth&comma; with most of the group’s wealth tied up in financial assets&comma; which have increased at a similar &lpar;or even quicker&rpar; pace to real estate over the past two decades&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<table class&equals;"bwtablemarginb bwblockalignl bwwidth100" cellspacing&equals;"0">&NewLine;<tbody>&NewLine;<tr>&NewLine;<td class&equals;"bwvertalignt bwtopsingle bwsinglebottom bwleftsingle bwrightsingle bwpadl0 bwwidth17" colspan&equals;"1" rowspan&equals;"1">&NewLine;<p class&equals;"bwalignc bwcellpmargin"><b>Wealth Percentile Tiers<&sol;b><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p class&equals;"bwalignc bwcellpmargin">&lpar;net worth&rpar;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;td>&NewLine;<td class&equals;"bwvertalignt bwtopsingle bwsinglebottom bwrightsingle bwpadl0 bwwidth17" colspan&equals;"1" rowspan&equals;"1">&NewLine;<p class&equals;"bwalignc bwcellpmargin"><b>No&period; of U&period;S&period; Households<&sol;b><&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;td>&NewLine;<td class&equals;"bwvertalignt bwtopsingle bwsinglebottom bwrightsingle bwpadl0 bwwidth17" colspan&equals;"1" rowspan&equals;"1">&NewLine;<p class&equals;"bwalignc bwcellpmargin"><b>Total Net Worth<&sol;b><&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;td>&NewLine;<td class&equals;"bwvertalignt bwtopsingle bwsinglebottom bwrightsingle bwpadl0 bwwidth17" colspan&equals;"1" rowspan&equals;"1">&NewLine;<p class&equals;"bwalignc bwcellpmargin"><b>Total Value of Real Estate<&sol;b><&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;td>&NewLine;<td class&equals;"bwvertalignt bwtopsingle bwsinglebottom bwrightsingle bwpadl0 bwwidth16" colspan&equals;"1" rowspan&equals;"1">&NewLine;<p class&equals;"bwalignc bwcellpmargin"><b>Real Estate as a &percnt; of Net Worth<&sol;b><&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;td>&NewLine;<td class&equals;"bwvertalignt bwtopsingle bwsinglebottom bwrightsingle bwpadl0 bwwidth16" colspan&equals;"1" rowspan&equals;"1">&NewLine;<p class&equals;"bwalignc bwcellpmargin"><b>Total Home Mortgage Debt<&sol;b><&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;td>&NewLine;<&sol;tr>&NewLine;<tr>&NewLine;<td class&equals;"bwsinglebottom bwleftsingle bwrightsingle bwpadl0 bwwidth17" colspan&equals;"1" rowspan&equals;"1">&NewLine;<p class&equals;"bwalignc bwcellpmargin"><b>Top 1&percnt;<&sol;b><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p class&equals;"bwalignc bwcellpmargin">&lpar;&dollar;11&period;2 million minimum&rpar;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;td>&NewLine;<td class&equals;"bwsinglebottom bwrightsingle bwpadl0 bwwidth17" colspan&equals;"1" rowspan&equals;"1">&NewLine;<p class&equals;"bwalignc bwcellpmargin">1&period;3 million<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;td>&NewLine;<td class&equals;"bwsinglebottom bwrightsingle bwpadl0 bwwidth17" colspan&equals;"1" rowspan&equals;"1">&NewLine;<p class&equals;"bwalignc bwcellpmargin">&dollar;49&period;2 trillion<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;td>&NewLine;<td class&equals;"bwsinglebottom bwrightsingle bwpadl0 bwwidth17" colspan&equals;"1" rowspan&equals;"1">&NewLine;<p class&equals;"bwalignc bwcellpmargin">&dollar;6&period;5 trillion<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;td>&NewLine;<td class&equals;"bwsinglebottom bwrightsingle bwpadl0 bwpadr0 bwvertalignb bwpadb3 bwwidth16 bwalignc" colspan&equals;"1" rowspan&equals;"1">&NewLine;<p class&equals;"bwcellpmargin bwalignc">12&period;3&percnt;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;td>&NewLine;<td class&equals;"bwsinglebottom bwrightsingle bwpadl0 bwwidth16" colspan&equals;"1" rowspan&equals;"1">&NewLine;<p class&equals;"bwalignc bwcellpmargin">&dollar;411&period;5 billion<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;td>&NewLine;<&sol;tr>&NewLine;<tr>&NewLine;<td class&equals;"bwsinglebottom bwleftsingle bwrightsingle bwpadl0 bwwidth17" colspan&equals;"1" rowspan&equals;"1">&NewLine;<p class&equals;"bwalignc bwcellpmargin"><b>90-99th percentile<&sol;b><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p class&equals;"bwalignc bwcellpmargin">&lpar;&dollar;2&period;2 million minimum&rpar;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;td>&NewLine;<td class&equals;"bwsinglebottom bwrightsingle bwpadl0 bwwidth17" colspan&equals;"1" rowspan&equals;"1">&NewLine;<p class&equals;"bwalignc bwcellpmargin">12 million<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;td>&NewLine;<td class&equals;"bwsinglebottom bwrightsingle bwpadl0 bwwidth17" colspan&equals;"1" rowspan&equals;"1">&NewLine;<p class&equals;"bwalignc bwcellpmargin">&dollar;58&period;3 trillion<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;td>&NewLine;<td class&equals;"bwsinglebottom bwrightsingle bwpadl0 bwwidth17" colspan&equals;"1" rowspan&equals;"1">&NewLine;<p class&equals;"bwalignc bwcellpmargin">&dollar;14&period;7 trillion<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;td>&NewLine;<td class&equals;"bwsinglebottom bwrightsingle bwpadl0 bwpadr0 bwvertalignb bwpadb3 bwwidth16 bwalignc" colspan&equals;"1" rowspan&equals;"1">&NewLine;<p class&equals;"bwcellpmargin bwalignc">19&period;8&percnt;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;td>&NewLine;<td class&equals;"bwsinglebottom bwrightsingle bwpadl0 bwwidth16" colspan&equals;"1" rowspan&equals;"1">&NewLine;<p class&equals;"bwalignc bwcellpmargin">&dollar;3&period;2 trillion<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;td>&NewLine;<&sol;tr>&NewLine;<tr>&NewLine;<td class&equals;"bwsinglebottom bwleftsingle bwrightsingle bwpadl0 bwwidth17" colspan&equals;"1" rowspan&equals;"1">&NewLine;<p class&equals;"bwalignc bwcellpmargin"><b>50-90th percentile<&sol;b><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p class&equals;"bwalignc bwcellpmargin">&lpar;&dollar;242&comma;500 minimum&rpar;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;td>&NewLine;<td class&equals;"bwsinglebottom bwrightsingle bwpadl0 bwwidth17" colspan&equals;"1" rowspan&equals;"1">&NewLine;<p class&equals;"bwalignc bwcellpmargin">53&period;2 million<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;td>&NewLine;<td class&equals;"bwsinglebottom bwrightsingle bwpadl0 bwwidth17" colspan&equals;"1" rowspan&equals;"1">&NewLine;<p class&equals;"bwalignc bwcellpmargin">&dollar;48&period;4 trillion<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;td>&NewLine;<td class&equals;"bwsinglebottom bwrightsingle bwpadl0 bwwidth17" colspan&equals;"1" rowspan&equals;"1">&NewLine;<p class&equals;"bwalignc bwcellpmargin">&dollar;22&period;2 trillion<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;td>&NewLine;<td class&equals;"bwsinglebottom bwrightsingle bwpadl0 bwpadr0 bwvertalignb bwpadb3 bwwidth16 bwalignc" colspan&equals;"1" rowspan&equals;"1">&NewLine;<p class&equals;"bwcellpmargin bwalignc">32&period;2&percnt;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;td>&NewLine;<td class&equals;"bwsinglebottom bwrightsingle bwpadl0 bwwidth16" colspan&equals;"1" rowspan&equals;"1">&NewLine;<p class&equals;"bwalignc bwcellpmargin">&dollar;6&period;6 trillion<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;td>&NewLine;<&sol;tr>&NewLine;<tr>&NewLine;<td class&equals;"bwsinglebottom bwleftsingle bwrightsingle bwpadl0 bwwidth17" colspan&equals;"1" rowspan&equals;"1">&NewLine;<p class&equals;"bwalignc bwcellpmargin"><b>0-50th percentile<&sol;b><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p class&equals;"bwalignc bwcellpmargin">&lpar;&dollar;242&comma;500 maximum&rpar;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;td>&NewLine;<td class&equals;"bwsinglebottom bwrightsingle bwpadl0 bwwidth17" colspan&equals;"1" rowspan&equals;"1">&NewLine;<p class&equals;"bwalignc bwcellpmargin">66&period;6 million<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;td>&NewLine;<td class&equals;"bwsinglebottom bwrightsingle bwpadl0 bwwidth17" colspan&equals;"1" rowspan&equals;"1">&NewLine;<p class&equals;"bwalignc bwcellpmargin">&dollar;3&period;9 trillion<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;td>&NewLine;<td class&equals;"bwsinglebottom bwrightsingle bwpadl0 bwwidth17" colspan&equals;"1" rowspan&equals;"1">&NewLine;<p class&equals;"bwalignc bwcellpmargin">&dollar;4&period;9 trillion<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;td>&NewLine;<td class&equals;"bwsinglebottom bwrightsingle bwpadl0 bwpadr0 bwvertalignb bwpadb3 bwwidth16 bwalignc" colspan&equals;"1" rowspan&equals;"1">&NewLine;<p class&equals;"bwcellpmargin bwalignc">46&period;4&percnt;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;td>&NewLine;<td class&equals;"bwsinglebottom bwrightsingle bwpadl0 bwwidth16" colspan&equals;"1" rowspan&equals;"1">&NewLine;<p class&equals;"bwalignc bwcellpmargin">&dollar;3&period;1 trillion<&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;td>&NewLine;<&sol;tr>&NewLine;<&sol;tbody>&NewLine;<&sol;table>&NewLine;<p>In comparison&comma; the bottom 50&percnt; of U&period;S&period; households have a total net worth of &dollar;3&period;9 trillion&comma; with real estate assets making up &dollar;1&period;8 trillion &lpar;46&period;4&percnt;&rpar; of that amount—showing how reliant lower wealth tiers are on real estate as an asset&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The level of home mortgage debt also highlights the difficulty facing the lowest wealth tier&period; The bottom 50&percnt; owns real estate valued at &dollar;4&period;9 trillion&comma; but has a total mortgage debt of &dollar;3&period;1 trillion&period; In comparison&comma; the top 1&percnt; hold real estate valued at &dollar;6&period;5 trillion&comma; but only have &dollar;411&period;5 billion in mortgage debt&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><b>Wealthiest 0&period;1&percnt; could buy every home in America’s 25 most-populous metros<&sol;b><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Even among the wealthiest 1&percnt;&comma; there is a more exclusive bracket—the top 0&period;1&percnt;—comprising 134&comma;000 U&period;S&period; households with a minimum net worth of &dollar;46&period;3 million&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The combined net worth of the top 0&period;1&percnt; is &dollar;22&period;1 trillion&period; That’s enough to purchase every home in the 25 most populous metros in America&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>And that wealth is growing fast&comma; rising by &dollar;4&period;4 trillion &lpar;24&period;9&percnt;&rpar; over the past two years&period; That’s more than the combined net worth of the bottom 50&percnt; or&comma; put another way&comma; enough to buy every home in the Chicago&comma; Atlanta&comma; Boston and Houston metro areas&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>In comparison&comma; the net worth of the bottom 50&percnt; grew nearly three times slower over the past two years&comma; rising by 8&period;5&percnt; &lpar;&dollar;306&period;3 billion&rpar;&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>This is according to an analysis of the Redfin Estimate for more than 98 million U&period;S&period; residential properties&comma; and Federal Reserve data for the total net worth held by the top 1&percnt; of Americans&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>To view the full report&comma; including charts&comma; methodology&comma; and additional metro-level data&comma; please visit&colon; <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;redfin&period;com&sol;news&sol;wealthy-aggregate-value-2025" rel&equals;"nofollow" shape&equals;"rect">https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;redfin&period;com&sol;news&sol;wealthy-aggregate-value-2025<&sol;a><&sol;p>&NewLine;

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